Parents in the UK have been given updated guidelines to help minimise the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) among young babies.
SIDS, also referred to as ‘cot death’, is used to describe a case where a child under one year of age dies suddenly and in unexplained circumstances.
To coincide with National Sleep Week, an awareness campaign organised by national charity The Lullaby Trust, aims to encourage parents to follow a number of simple steps to help reduce the risk of SIDS, which takes the lives of 300 babies in the UK each year.
The new guidelines, which also includes updated recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), were released this weekend. According to the Manchester Evening Standard, experts behind the guidelines are seeking to clarify the association between co-sleeping and SIDS.
Falling under four main areas, the recommendations suggest the following:
Car seats
Parents are urged to remove their little one from their seat and place them in a Moses basket or cot at the earliest opportunity after a journey. If travelling on a long journey you are advised to make regular stops, to take the child out of the seat for breaks.
E-Cigarettes
Pending the publication of detailed research, e-cigarettes are to be treated exactly the same as regular cigarettes; parents are, accordingly, advised not to smoke them around their babies.
Slings
Positioning is key here, with experts urging parents to ensure their slings are in a secure position whereby the child’s face is always visible to them at a mere downwards glance. The tot’s chin should never be forced into its chest area – this can lead to breathing difficulties.
Twins
If you are putting twins to sleep together, experts recommend that they are placed side-by-side, so that they can’t roll over one another, ensuring that they are not close enough to touch and get in the way of one another's breathing.
You can find out more information about minimising the risk of SIDS through this link.
